Isle of Man set for national TV channel

UK local TV licensee That’s Media Group has expressed interest in setting up a national TV channel on the Isle of Man. The announcement was made by Kent Walwin, Owner and Director of that’s Media Group, during the Celtic Media Festival at a panel – The Rock that Rocks – about building a new broadcast hub on the island. Walwin, along with CEO Daniel Cass, has visited the Island on many occasions in the last few months, meeting with potential stakeholders.

“We believe there is a calculable enthusiasm for our proposal for a new television channel playing a critical role in the Island’s national conversation,” commented Cass. “As the company controlling the most licences in the UK’s local television network [12] we believe that we are uniquely placed to support, encourage and ultimately develop this initiative.”

Isle of Media – a public, private partnership launched to market globally the Island’s media cluster and guide media ventures locating on the Isle of Man through its value proposition – introduced That’s Media Group to the Isle of Man in 2016 and since then, That’s Media Group, along with the assistance of Isle of Media, have created a plan to not only set up a national channel, but to also relocate its headquarters to the Isle of Man.

“We bring our own capital investment to the Isle of Man and hope to create significant employment in the Island’s media industry,” stated Walwin. “With the Isle of Man having its own jurisdiction and strong identity, culture, and heritage; the Island is a natural choice to have its own TV channel.”

“We have come a long way to find a commercially-valid approach and an investor to fill the strategic gap of a National Television Station for the Isle of Man,” commented Stuart Semark, CEO from Isle of Media.

“This is an exciting opportunity for the island not just business growth wise but also socially, in engaging closer with the various communities,” concluded Dr Richard Arning, Director of SES Satellite Leasing, the Isle of Man-based entrepreneurial investment arm of satellite operator SES, and chairman of Isle of Media. “As industry, we are delighted to support the growth of the Island’s Digital Media sector and a National Television Station can be one of cornerstones.”